


I Can't Begin To Tell You How Much You Mean To Me (One Shot)

by PuddlesofPupcake



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, mildly angst, peggy is a dork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 13:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4627449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuddlesofPupcake/pseuds/PuddlesofPupcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>4 times Peggy got interrupted and 1 time she didn't.</p><p>Some come from actual canon scenes and some don't.</p><p>The title comes from the song of the same name by Bing Cosby, which may make an appearance ;-)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Can't Begin To Tell You How Much You Mean To Me (One Shot)

**Author's Note:**

> I finally wrote something that wasn't painfully angsty, please be proud of me

1.

Peggy stared vacantly at the cup of tea that sat in front of her on the table, knowing it was starting to go lukewarm but she needed the distraction. Work was just getting more painful as the days after the war flew by. Sure Sousa was around sticking up for, but it didn't take away from how much it hurt to be constantly dismissed and unnoticed. Especially when, not even being arrogant, Peggy knew deep down that she was one of the best agents working there. Not their damn secretary.

"Everything alright, English?" Peggy looked up to notice Angie sliding into the booth she sat at, warm smile beaming from her face as always.

"Fine Angie," she sighed, "If you don't count work." And Peggy Carter most certainly counted work over everything else.

Angie fixed her with a sympathetic gaze. It wouldn't be the first time that Peggy had told her about her troubles at work, without revealing too much information to her young friend. "Boys at the phone company giving you a hard time?"

"No more than usual." Peggy replied, knowing that it could be worse for her at work. She paused to take a sip of her tea to allow herself to figure out the words to put her feelings into "It's just that during the war I had a sense of purpose, responsibility. But now I connect the calls but I never get a chance to make them. Do you know what I mean?"Angie gave Peggy a half smile and gave her hand a slight squeeze to show she absolutely did know what she meant.

"I had an audition today uptown. Got two bars into 'Is you is or is you ain't?' They gave me the hook. I guess I ain't." Angie gave a sad shrug. Peggy's heart sank with guilt, she'd completely forgotten that Angie had an audition. Normally Peggy would be sure to make an appearance at the Automat before every one of Angie's auditions to wish her the best luck. Angie simply waved her off with another of her soft smiles as Peggy started to apologise. "We all gotta pay our dues, even if it takes a while. You got talent, It's just a matter of time before Broadway calls."

Peggy laughed into her drink. Angie couldn't know of course, but Peggy's stage experience began and ended with some humiliating school plays she somehow found herself in. "I'm afraid I can't carry a tune."

"Doesn't matter when you got legs like yours." Angie quickly cut in, blushing a little when Peggy realised what she said and their gazes met slightly. Peggy's heart pounded a little quicker as she processed it, it didn't take a federal agent to hear flirtation dripping from Angie's words. Peggy attempted to find something intelligent and attractive to say back, Angie seeming to take an interest in her was not a situation she wanted to mess up.

"This is supposed to be BLT? Where's the girl?" A deep whiny voice rang out across the small cafe, coming from the smug looking man who's eyebrows raised considerably when he turned around and spotted Angie. "Oh I'm sorry, do you not work anymore?"

Peggy could really imagine herself reaching for the handgun in her purse. Angie sighed and grabbed the notebook. "Looks like I gotta go."

"Is he a regular?" Peggy asked, still daydreaming about teaching him about teaching a lesson about manners and not spoiling people's moments.

Angie giggled slightly, making Peggy seriously concerned she could read her mine. "Yeah but a regular what? I'm not allowed to say that on the clock."

Peggy watched sadly as the waitress left to go and continue her shift, leaving her sat alone with her drink and a million things she wanted to say.

2.

Angie Martinelli was an absolute ray of sunshine in Peggy's life, always seeming so bubbly and bright. But she was now discovering that these personality traits make a girl seriously difficult to ignore. Especially when she was knocking loudly on the window and yelling.

"I found one."

The argument had been going back and forth for days, Peggy would've been avoiding the Automat to avoid the issue but honestly she was helpless when it came to the rhubarb pie served there. 

"I'm late for my appointment." Peggy shouted back, although she knew full well that it would do absolutely nothing to deter the determined bundle of energy that was standing at the window waving a piece of paper.

"It had its own bathroom!" Angie continued. Peggy almost felt herself turning back to look at the paper, only some serious willpower was keeping her away from a perk that was painfully rare for apartments in New York. 

"I can't hear you." Peggy shouted back, earning an eye roll from Angie.

"Don't make me come out there!"

There was no pretending that Angie wouldn't do exactly that if it meant a quick break from work and getting to prove her point all at once, so Peggy decided she'd much rather be harassed about housing in the warm coffee scented building than on the cold city street.

Angie began bombarding her with information the minute Peggy stepped through the door, sounding exactly like she was reading from a very well rehearsed script. "A safe community for modern female professionals. Apartment for rent. Five hundred and fifty square feet, furnished, full bath, high floors, quiet building, security assured, close proximity to the Lexington avenue local, continental breakfast upon request." Angie stopped for a moment to draw breath, even her eagerness couldn't supply oxygen. "Paradise or what?"

"It sounds perfect." Peggy quietly admitted, silently pleading with herself not to get too attached to the idea. She couldn't.

"That's because it is, the only thing that could possibly make it better is if you lived next me." Angie momentarily paused for effect before continuing. Why did Broadway keep rejecting such a drama queen? "Oops, you would! 3C if you need a cup of sugar."

Peggy would never turn down borrowing a cup of sugar from Angie, whatever the hell she mean by that. But she knew there was no way she could do it. Flinging herself headfirst into stupidly hazardous situations may have been her lifestyle of choice of recent week but the idea of the S.S.R or Leviathan touching a single hair on Angie's head made her feel as if her heart at been ripped out and stomped on repeatedly. "I really shouldn't, Angie."

Angie looked sharply at Peggy, her eyes seeming bluer than ever as they became slightly glassy with hurt. "Am I missing something here? You need a place and this one is great, so I'm thinking maybe it's me." 

Peggy wanted to grab Angie by the pastel collar of her uniform and say anything, do anything to convince her that living around her would be the most wonderful thing in the world but she just couldn't. There's no way she could be selfish enough to allow her work to put sweet, innocent Angie in harm's way. As happy as the Griffith could make her.   
Angie shoulders slumped fractionally, making Peggy feel even worse. Maybe it would be alright? She was certainly a competent enough agent to protect her.

"Alright Ang, I..." Peggy began, anything to put the smile back into Angie's face. As soon as she began speaking she heard Jarvis beep the car horn outside the door, reminding her that as always she was off to jump into something risky. She'd prefer Angie to be safe than live near her.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't make a very good neighbour." She forced out before returning to the dark New York evening. Not telling the truth but not exactly lying either.

3.

What's even considered appropriate clothing for going into a weapons vault? Was she supposed to be mad at Jarvis for not being specific or with Howard for making a vault that needed appropriate clothing? Peggy rifled through the clothes in her wardrobe, finally settling on some of the gear she had worn for various missions in Russia. Surely even Howard won't have made his bloody vault that difficult to be in.

Peggy nearly jumped out of her skin at the insistent pounding that attacked the door, barely having time to slip her robe over her clothing before a certain Italian neighbour burst into her room. Yes, Peggy had cracked and moved into the Griffith, so far regretting nothing other than a fear of Miriam that was beyond anything she felt for people she came across in her line of work.

"I've been on my feet so long I've sprouted roots." Angie announced as dramatically as ever, flopping onto Peggy's bed like it was her own room. It might as well have been for the amount of time she spent there. Since arriving at the Griffith, Peggy had been spending more and more time around Angie as their friendship grew closer and closer. She could admit that all the time they spent together was the highlight of her days but today she really had to work.

"Hi Angie, sorry..." Peggy began, gesturing subtly towards the door. Much too subtly for the exhausted waitress to pick up on as she continued to vent about her crappy day.

"An eight hour shift and I got a whole fifty cents in tips. The war's over, I thought we were all spending money again?" She exclaimed in exasperation, before coming back to typical selfless Angie. "How was your day?"

Peggy felt herself wince slightly at the question. The arrest of her possibly treasonous friend's butler getting arrested, almost leading to her investigation almost being uncovered which would almost certainly lead her to a noose, finally followed by being reprimanded by Dooley so harshly she felt like a twelve year old in the headmaster's office. How was she supposed to begin summarising that whilst under the pretence of working at the telephone company? "Fifty cents in tips would've been a considerable improvement."  
Angie grabbed the two things she been hiding behind her back as she sat, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "I got a bottle of Schnapps and half a rhubarb pie. Let's see which one makes us sick first."

A second before Peggy headed straight towards her two absolute weaknesses, curse Angie for knowing that, she remembered her pre existing commitments. Jarvis would be waiting for her to go visit the vault, she could press him with questions about that mysterious treason charge. She definitely had to go. Teeming with regret, she began searching for the words to let Angie down without letting her feel brushed off. She looked back to her bed again, Angie staring at her expectantly. The vault would still be there in the morning, how often would there be a beautiful girl sat on her bed with pie and Schnapps?

Half an hour later and Peggy's thoughts were no where near some silly vault at one of Howard's mansions. Not when she was with Angie, they'd never actually been drunk together before. They seemed to constantly switch between desperately clutching each other as they doubled over in muted laughter, then they would be comforting each other about entitled customers and dumb sexist men. Peggy could feel all the stress of the day drifting to some far off corner of her mind that she didn't have to deal with.

"Jeez English," Angie sighed, listening intently to Peggy's ramblings about work. "Why do we even need men? Why do people keep telling us the right one will appear any day?"

Peggy considered for a moment and looked at Angie, in the haze of dizzy confidence that half a bottle of Schnapps can send a girl into. "I don't know really Angie. I think they're wrong about the right guy appearing. Who needs them when there's great-"

A sharp 3 knocks rang out from the door, snatching Peggy's guilty confession out of her before she could finish. The signature rhythm that announced the presence of Miriam was certainly enough to sober up any Griffith girl. They opened the door, standing slightly back from it and praying that their flushed faces and slight wobble in their standing wouldn't give the game away.

Whether it was the poor timing of her introduction or the many murders that followed that did it, Peggy never liked Dottie Underwood at all.

4.

The first day in any new home is always one that sticks in a person's mind. Especially when it's practically a mansion and they're there with the friend who they've been trying to admit feelings for during every burst of confidence for the past two months. Now that will attach itself to a persons' brain pretty damn well. 

"Peggy! This is the best day ever!" Angie came barreling back into the room they had first entered, although Jarvis had hurried back home to be in time for dinner with his wife. Angie had only just got off the phone with her mother, Peggy could hear the excited squealing of the conversation from the room she had stayed in.

"I'm glad you like it." Peggy said with a shy smile, suddenly feeling more nervous than the numerous times she'd stared down the barrel of loaded firearm. It was finally just the two of them alone in this huge house. 

"Like it? I can't even begin tell you how I feel about it!" Angie exclaimed, flinging her arms tightly around Peggy's neck. All Peggy could do was hug her back and pray to anything that was listening that Angie wouldn't be able to feel the way her heart skipped at least three beats. A second later and Angie was off again, running around the house with all the boundless enthusiasm of the average seven year old or golden retriever.

Peggy had decided to spend her first evening exploring the expansive library that contained thousands of books that she could assume Howard had put there simply for the purpose of aesthetics. It took her what seemed like hours to select the perfect book to read first and settle into the velvety red armchair that stood beside the huge window. Flicking between enjoying the views of a steadily darkening New York and her favourite Sherlock mystery, Peggy would've been quite content never moving again. Or at least she would've been happy had the intoxicating scent of vanilla made it's way through the house. One of her other food weaknesses.

In later weeks Peggy would realise the biggest advantage to living with Angie was the amazing cooking abilities she brought with her. She followed her nose to the kitchen to find Angie pushing a batch of chocolate chip cookies into the oven. Huge and shiny, it didn't take Peggy much of her spy skills to figure out that all of the kitchen appliances were made by Stark industries. Trust Howard to fill his house with his own inventions. 

Angie stood up and wandered over to where Peggy was stood watching her, a light smudge of flour clinging to her right eyebrow. Peggy reached forwards and brushed it away gently, not quite realising what she was doing until she heard Angie's soft giggle and felt her skin growing warmer under her thumb. 

"I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me Peggy, I really don't have the words. Thank you so much." Angie said, her words sounding so much quieter than they actually were as the house still felt unnaturally loud. There was a slight tremble to her voice as she struggled to keep her emotions firmly under control.

Peggy brought up her eyes to meet Angie's aquamarine gaze. "It's okay Angie, it's the least I could do after what you did at the Griffith with the S.S.R agents.

"Seriously Peg," Angie continued, "I can't imagine why you'd want me living with you now I know you're such a hero."

Peggy shook her head, annoyed with herself that Angie would feel that. "It's not like that Angie, I want to live with you because-"

A distinctly unnerving alarm suddenly rang out from the oven, cutting Peggy off and sending Angie running to check on her food. Better living with Stark Industries my bloody arse, Peggy thought to herself.

5.

Days turned into weeks in Howard's mansion which turned into months. The two women had settled into a routine and the mansion had become a perfect home, Angie cooked food that made Peggy determined to never stay at work any longer than she absolutely had to whilst Peggy cleaned the house with her military precision. The two women seemed to be out at work twenty four hours a day but they still seemed to spend enough time together for them to both be the best friend the other had ever known.

A couple of days into their new life in the house, Angie had come across her favourite room in the whole house. It was a warm purple colour on the walls with a cream carpet that was softer than anything either of them had ever touched. The best features though was the huge Stark brand radio and the square of the floor that was the perfect wooden dance floor. Angie would spend hours in there in the run up to an audition and Peggy loved nothing more than watching Angie do what she loved the most.

~'I can't begin to tell you how much you mean to me. My world would end if ever we were through'~

The soft steady voice of Bing Cosby echoed through the house, reaching Peggy's ears as she sat reading in the library. She bloody hated the song, the lyrics painfully echoing her own situation with Angie. She still couldn't help putting down her book and entered the room where Angie began repeating the dance moves she had memorised, wrapped up in the moment like she always was.

~'I can't begin to tell you how happy I would be if I could speak my mind like others do'~

Angie turned on her heel and spotted Angie, face lighting up as she beckoned her over to dance. Peggy shook her head stubbornly, she hated dancing since Steve. She underestimated Angie's ability to be even more stubborn than her until she was being insistently dragged towards the music. Obviously she could've physically resisted Angie but she still found herself turning to jelly every time Angie touched her.

~'I make such pretty speeches whenever we're apart but when you're near the words I choose refuse to leave my heart'~

Peggy's pulse felt as if it was rushing through her body like her blood had turned into the Niagra falls. Angie's grasp on her wrists was so gentle but so strong, holding her tightly as she pulled her round in moves she never would've felt comfortable doing. She whirled around faster and faster, Steve fluttering gently away from her mind.

~'So take the sweetest phrases the world has ever known and make believe I've said them all to you'~

The music filled the room around them, although Peggy could barely hear it as Angie pulled her so close she could feel her breath heating up her face. Angie grinned mischievously, shouting over the loud music.

"Do you have something you'd like to say to me Peggy?"

It suddenly dawned on Peggy that Angie knew exactly what had been going on, she'd probably even been dancing to this song for that damn reason. She wanted to hate her for dragging out the situation for longer than necessary but she was too caught up in the moment to care.

~'I make such pretty speeches whenever we're apart but when you're near the words I choose refuse to leave my heart'~

Peggy stepped even closer to Angie, their feet were almost touching. They were so close that Peggy didn't have to raise her voice too much to be audible.

"Angie, tell me this is okay."

Angie rolled her eyes and ran her hand gently through Peggy's hair, closing the gap.

"Shut up English, you talk too much."

~'So take the sweetest phrases the world has ever known and make believe I've said them all to you'~


End file.
